The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1887-10-26
BOWSER'S INJURED ANKLE
1T IS THE CAUSE OF MUCH ANxI-
ETY. AND TROUBLE.
A Chapter in the Domestic Life OF
the Bowser's Graphically Recited
by Mrs. Bowser.

Five days ago Mr.. Bowser was brought
home with a sprained ankle. He got it
by misstep off the sidewalk. | had
the doctor come up to look at the limb
to see that no bones were broken, and he
went away assuring Mr.. Bowser that he
would be able to walk out in four or FIVE
days. He had scarcely gone when the
patient asked me in pItiful voice if l
thought he was going to die2
"Going to die, Mr. Bowserl Why,
what nonsensel What put that idea in
your head2"
81 have prescntiment. II think l
ought to draw up my will"
"It's all folly. You've got nothing
but a simple sprain.
"Simple! | tell you this is a terrible
thing, and if live two days it will be a
great wonder to me. The Bowser men
die hard, but they have to die as well
as other folks. Do l look like a man
struck with dcath?"
"Not a bit Of it. l never saw you
look more healthy"
"Mrs. Bowser, don't you deceive mel
Deceiving dying husband is an awful
crime. Has the door been muffied and
the girl told that no callers are ad-
mittcdN
Certainly not"
"And aren't you going to send the
baby over to mothers until you see
whether die or get welln
"Not a bit of it. Don't be BOBBY,
Mr.. Bowser When | broke two ribs
last fall you simply remarked that l
ought to know better than to fall against
bosrd.n
| tucked him up and patted his head
and he cried. lie wanted me to hold his
hand and l sat and held it until he fell
asleep. Then l went upstairs to do a
little work, and hadn't been gone over
fifteen minutes when heard him shout
ing at the top of his voice. ran down
and he thundered at me:
as this your love for your crippled
and dying husbandl"
81 had some work to do"
"Work can you think of work while
/ lie here suffering untold agonies !
What is making up an old spare bed
compared to the life of your husband
Are you in hurry to see Grape on the
door,"
"Come, Mr. Bowser, don't be unreason-
able. will do everything for your COM
fort, but things arouud the house must
be seen to-"
When evening came Mr.. Bowser had a
slight fever, and he grew more pettish.
He wanted me to telegraph to his
brother in Japan, his sister in California,
: and to telephone the doctor.
put in an awful night with him. He
heard cats and burglars and forty other
noises, and he refused to go to sleep fol
fear he'd die without knowing it. Al
midnight after | had helped him turn
over about twenty times and had upset
his pillow until the case was worn thread
bare, he wanted me to telephone th'
doctor and ask if sprained ankle eve
struck to the heart. | rang up the cen
trail and the following conversation
seemed to take place:
Doctor Mr.. Bowser has grow
steadily worse since you left, and don
believe he can live an hour longer. Yes
| have done as you told me. Oh, yol
knew he'd die before morning, ehl Oh
yes, l shall be pretty well fixed for
widow. About six hacks, l guess. In
no hand to make a spread at a funeral
/ "Mrs. Bowserw yelled Mr.. Bowser a
llit AOD vi lilo NOlIN, anu NliOh L luu lhl
the bedroom he was sitting on the edg
of the bed, hair on end and face pale a
death
"What do you want, dear"
Well, the poor man actually faintet
away in his nervousness, and when h
came to | had to sit and hold his hand
while he caught catnaps. The swelling
was nearly gone from his ankle in tn
morning, and he could dress himself ant
hobble about. He, however, drew VI
his will, had two or three mysterious
conferences with parties he sent for, anC
saw him looking over a lot of photo
graphs of monuments and tombstones
| caught him weeping once, and when
stroked the back of his neck, and callet
him my poor, crippled gazelle, he looket
up in pitiful way and said
"Mrs. Browser, it's awful hard to hav
to die at my age"
That was Mr. Bowser for the first tw
days. On the third he went down town
and on the fourth he gave up his cane
When he came home TO dinner l was ol
the lounge with teeth and ears and eye'
full of neuralgia.
"Now what ~ he roared out.
'I'm dreadfully i'll, Mr. BOwser."
"Bosh! A little neuralgia! Mrs, Bowse
you've got no more sand than a grasshol
per If | were rs big baby as you ar
I'd live on soothing syrup
"But-but when you had nothing bu
a sprained ankle, you--you-.p
"When fell fourteen feet, Mrs Bow
ser, aud cracked two RIBS, upset my liver
tIrncd my right leg clear around
knocked my elbows loose and brough
on brain fever lay here without mur
mur or complaint, and you know it
You are a booby-a regular BOBBY, an
I'll go back down town for my dinner.
Igy..sf Jr4s1 D.ggs